Space Forum / Space Policy / July 2008

Isn't that par for Government work?  Several years
ago we had a great idea implemented, known as the
"Big Dig."  It was projected to cost $2 billion.
By finish time, the cost was 'stabilized' at $14
billion.  Then the cost experienced a sort of a
quantum inflation, and recently became $22 billion.
Rant omitted on this kind of thing.

Oops, a detail: the "Big Dig" is in Boston MA.

In my view, the underlying problem is somewhere
else.  For whatever reason, the idea of 'war' has
got tied to political pork.  Maybe because you can
pull in excitement and patriotism and etc.  So we
are in a series of pork wars, which eat up a *lot*
of money.  Thus a rational program of space work
cannot compete with the latest pork wars for money,
and must risk trying to do too much on what is
left over for them, in hopes of a better future.
Thus we see ...what we see.

Titeotwawki -- mha  [sci.space.policy 2008 Jly 22]

Yes it is.

But Henry misses the point entirely. To make NASA's goal an Apollo-like
success requires much more than better weight estimates and building the
new Saturn (Ares)V lickety-split before the funds get cut.

Apollo  was a success because the goal was /so exciting/ and /world-changing/
that...everyone...immediately realized it was worth doing, and right now.
The 'extra margins' that made Apollo succeed was not the hardware
but was in the strength of the .... IDEA.

To redo Apollo we must create a Goal as remarkable and important
as Apollo.

The goal NASA was moving to just before Pres. Bush took over,
Space Solar Power, did have all the qualities of Apollo as an idea.

A replacement for fossil fuels, a solution to global warming
and an America that becomes the next energy "Saudi Arabia".
While ending  wars over oil, and insuring American prosperity
and independence for the rest of the century.

Now that's a goal that shines. And inspires.

That's the way you win the war with radical Islam.
Remove their only true power over us.

    "First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving
       the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon
          and returning him safely to the Earth."   ~ JFK

     I believe we should replace fossil fuels with Space Solar Power
       before global warming becomes irreversible.

That's the speech I wish to hear Obama give.

http://www.hbci.com/~tgort/moon.htm

A goal that can inspire the American people to dream again.
That can generate not only long term funding, but massive
funding increases for NASA. After some twenty five years
of almost constant 'war', it's time for America to regain it's
inspirational leadership and respect by turning some of our
Swords into Plowshares.

I want to see a goal so inspiring for NASA that is ends up
having a nice big fat zero added to it's annual budget.

Space Solar Power, as an idea, has that potential.

Laying the Foundation for Space Solar Power
An Assessment of NASA's Space Solar Power Investment Strategy
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10202&page=1

If Obama wants to be the next Kennedy, here's his chance
to step out and above the fray. And change the world like Kennedy did.
Even Tom Hanks, the biggest enthusiast of all,  publicly scoffed
at the current goal of returning to the moon.

The Magic Of The Moon
Tom Hanks Hopes To Recapture Wonderment At Lunar Triumph
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2005

"And it is meant to make people think, 'How in the world
did we do that? And  isn't it a marvelous thing that we did,'"
says Hanks.

"And maybe we should do it again?" Axelrod asks.

"Well," Hanks says, "the question would be why?"

"Once humankind has been some place and found it entrancing, they
always go back," says Hanks, the film's producer. "I think in the
history of the human race, the moon has been the first place we've
gone to and said, 'OK, we don't need to go back there again.'"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/23/eveningnews/main881421.shtml

Jonathan

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